


The Lost Prince

by DSMystery



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Anastasia (1997 & Broadway) Fusion, Alternate Universe - Tangled (2010) Fusion, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Past Child Abuse, Sheev Palpatine Being An Asshole, That's Not How The Force Works (Star Wars), more to be added - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-08
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-15 01:08:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29925624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DSMystery/pseuds/DSMystery
Summary: Every night on his birthday, Anakin watched the floating lights ascend into the sky. The day before his 18th birthday, he finally gets the chance to fulfill his dream of seeing them up close. Anakin will seize this chance with both hands, whether or not he has approval from his Father.-Obi-Wan was just trying to complete his mission: end the feud between Naboo and Tatooine at any cost. The steps to completing the mission should have been easy. Unfortunately for Obi-Wan he failed to take into account a certain blue-eyed, blonde-haired, shoeless, and stubborn beyond belief teen on the cusp of adulthood into consideration. Maybe this could still be salvaged.
Relationships: Obi-Wan Kenobi/Anakin Skywalker
Comments: 10
Kudos: 45





	1. Once Upon A Time

**Author's Note:**

> This story will be almost verbatim with Tangled for the first quarter of it. The farther along we get, the more the dialogue and plot will branch out, adding in themes from both Star Wars and Anastasia. 
> 
> I'll be posting a chapter either everyday or every other day, depending on how much my classes decide to tack on right before Spring Break. Luckily I already have the next two chapters written.

“This is the story of how I died… But don’t worry! This is actually a very fun story and the truth is, it isn’t even mine. This is the story of a boy named Anakin. And it starts with the Force.”

Once upon a time, the world was lit by two suns. The Force took one of those suns and merged it into the earth to allow life to grow throughout the land. And from that point where the sun met the ground there grew a magic, golden flower. It had the ability to heal the sick and injured but also the ability to provide immense power to whoever used it. Centuries passed and life flourished throughout the world. Near the birthplace of the flower there emerged a kingdom called Tatooine. This kingdom was blessed with fertile fields, towering forests, and glittering lakes and rivers. As the epicenter of where the Force united the second sun with the earth, the land of Tatooine was alight with the Force. It was ruled by the beloved royal family that held the name Skywalker. The Skywalker’s had held the throne of Tatooine for generations after wresting the blessed land from the control of those who would exploit its gifts. 

The royal family consisted of several Skywalkers at the start of our story. The kind King and the gentle Queen along with their five children: two elder sons, two younger daughters, and finally, the youngest Princess Shmi. Now Princess Shmi was indeed the youngest of the royal family, but she stood out to the people of Tatooine as a pure and selfless girl who spent much of her time wandering the streets and aiding her subjects. Everyday Princess Shmi would pray for her country’s prosperity, for her people’s health, and for her family’s happiness. Wherever she prayed, her wishes were carried into the Force whether by wind or stream or root. And on the Princess’s 25th birthday the Force decided to grant Tatooine with one more blessing. A child, to embody the spirit of Tatooine, and to carry on the legacy of the Skywalker name. The entire kingdom rejoiced with the announcement of Princess Shmi’s pregnancy and the babe soon to be born to them and indeed a festival lasted for an entire week in celebration.The good cheer was not to last however. 

To the east of Tatooine was another land of prosperous means, the Islands of Naboo. Naboo was a series of large islands surrounded by beautiful oceans. Subsequently, they were a very strong seafaring people. Their lands weren’t as blessed by the Force as Tatooine but their people were, resulting in a large number of Force sensitives. A group of these people came together to form the Jedi Order, users of the light side of the Force and protectors of the peace that served the royal family of Naboo, the Nabierre’s. The Nabierre’s, much like the Skywalker’s, were beloved by their people as they were fair rulers who believed in upholding the truth. Their most trusted advisor was a man named Sheev Palpatine, a young man who had only recently taken office but had proven to be kind and wise. Or so he seemed. 

In truth, Counselor Palpatine was an ancient Force sensitive, drenched in the dark side of the Force. In centuries past he had allied himself with a group known as the Hutts and with his help, the Hutts had used the blessed land of the Force for their own gain. In return for helping them achieve wealth, Counselor Palpatine had free access to the magic flower of the Force and used it to build his power and keep himself young. That is until the uprising of the Hutts’ people, led by a woman with the last name of Skywalker, unseated them and claimed Tatooine for their own. Counselor Palpatine wouldn’t usually be too upset by an event such as this, as lesser powers than he were always bound to rise and fall. He was well versed in the art of making himself useful to whatever power came to be and merely offered his considerable services to the new ruler of Tatooine, Queen Anika Skywalker, once again asking in return to have free access to his precious flower. However the Force, tired of its blessing being used in such a way, whispered a warning to the Queen and in turn she denied Counselor Palpatine his request and had him thrown out of the kingdom. To that end, Queen Anika threatened death to him and anyone else that would use the flower of the Force for their own personal gain. 

Counselor Palpatine waited many a long year, subsisting off his own powers to keep himself alive until Queen Anika was long dead and the flower nearly forgotten, the people of Tatooine believing it to be one of their legends. Now he snuck into the kingdom and used the flower once more, steadily building himself up until he was elected as a Counselor in Naboo and became a trusted advisor. After centuries of hardships, Counselor Palpatine was finally ready to enact revenge against the Skywalker legacy for denying him his flower for so long.

On the last day of the festival, celebrating the Force blessed pregnancy of Princess Shmi, a group of saboteurs, dressed in Nabooian guard uniforms, entered the castle and slaughtered the royal family. Many nobles and guards also lost their lives in the attack, including some from visiting kingdoms. The last surviving member of the Skywalker family was Princess Shmi, her royal guards fighting to the last man in her defense. Unknown to her however, Counselor Palpatine had never intended for her to die like her family, at least not yet. He had heard of her pregnancy, about her babe who was a child of the Force itself, and wanted to wait and see if the child could be of any use to himself. And so his assassins spared the Princess’s life, but not before accidentally injuring her. Weak and besieged by grief, the Princess Shmi was very close to dying and losing her child. The mourning people of Tatooine looked to their legends and began the search for the magical flower that could heal Princess Shmi and save their unborn Prince, everyone scattering far and wide in the hope to catch even a glimpse of its golden glow. 

The flower was eventually found and with a tea made of it’s petals, the Princess was saved and crowned Queen of Tatooine. Nothing could be done for their slaughtered royal family though and so Tatooine turned its angry eyes upon their once friend and ally, the Islands of Naboo. This began a war of heavy and bitter fighting as Tatooine raged with its loss and Naboo reeled in shock, unknowing of why they were being attacked. The King of Naboo had never ordered such an attack on Tatooine and did not know why a group of people would frame an entire kingdom for such a gruesome act, but any and all of his words fell on the deaf ears of Tatooine. In the course of this war, Counselor Palpatine made himself invaluable to the royal family of Naboo, and solidified his position in Nabooian court. His plans of eradicating the Skywalker’s, taking control of Tatooine, and therefore regaining easy access to his precious flower, were all coming together perfectly. 

Unforeseen however, was Queen Shmi deciding to end the war on its one year anniversary. While her people were plenty willing to continue fighting in her name, the Queen asked for peace as on this day, her son was born. The new Prince of Tatooine was a beautiful and delightful baby with brilliant blue eyes and bright golden hair. Queen Shmi found she could not continue to end Tatooine lives when something so precious was just given life. Thus ended the war and a mistrustful and begrudging peace was struck between the two kingdoms. The kingdom of Tatooine rejoiced in the birth of Prince Anakin and in his honor they lit the night sky with dozens of floating lanterns, sending their prayers to the Force, and for one moment, everything was as perfect as could be.

And then that moment ended. Furious with the sudden turn of events, Counselor Palpatine stole into the kingdom of Tatooine, intent on ending the Skywalker line once and for all, for in his eyes Queen Shmi had destroyed his precious flower to save her own life. Breaking into the castle, Counselor Palpatine found the young Prince Anakin, Force presence gleaming like a beacon and suddenly, his precious flower didn’t seem so lost after all. Counselor Palpatine stole the Prince and hid him away on the outskirts of Tatooine. There, deep in the forest in a hidden tower, Counselor Palpatine decided to raise the child as his own. He had found his new magic flower, but this time, he was determined to keep it safe and hidden. The walls of this tower could not hide everything though and each year on the Prince’s birthday, Queen Shmi and the people of Tatooine released thousands of lanterns in hope that one day their lost Prince would return.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that this first chapter dealing with some of the background wasn't too heavy, but there's a lot to pack in. This isn't even all of it, more back story will be added in later chapters. 
> 
> I've also learned that I'm terrible at sticking to one story (as evidenced by the number of incomplete fics here on AO3 as well as my google drive) but I've written 5k words for this in less than 24 hours and so will continue to quickly ride this wave of motivation until it's complete.
> 
> Kudos and comments are very much appreciated!


	2. When Will My Life Begin

“Hmm… where oh where could a certain dragon be…” Rang out a voice, airy and teasing. Threepio grinned to himself, curling his sinewy body tighter in the flower pot of which he was hiding. The sudden sound of the window shutters banging open made the small golden krayt dragon freeze, thin wings trembling slightly. 

“Well I guess Threepio’s not hiding out here…” Said the voice again, making Threepio giggle to himself faintly. It quickly changed to a squawk as something wrapped around a foot he hadn’t curled close enough to his body, yanking him up and out of the flower pot. A youthful face with blue eyes and surrounded by a halo of golden locks grinned at him. 

“Gotcha! That’s twenty-two for me… how about twenty-three out of forty-five?” Anakin said, cocking his hip to the side as he released Threepio’s leg from the hold of his long hair. Threepio scowled in response to which Anakin huffed.

“Well fine. What do you wanna do then?” He asked, sitting down on the window ledge. Threepio looked excitedly at the world outside the window, flapping a wing in the direction of the open sky. “Yeah… I don’t think so. I like it in here, and so do you.” Anakin scoffed, twisting so his legs dangled, hair trailing far inside. Threepio stuck his tongue out to show what he thought of that statement. “Oh come on Threepio, it’s not so bad in there.” Anakin grinned again, grabbing the krayt dragon before rolling back inside off the ledge. Threepio squawked again at the sudden movement but eagerly followed the teen. 

“Seven a.m. the usual morning lineup” Anakin broke into song, twirling around the room before flicking the end of his hair up to the roof latch, flooding the tower with light. “Start on the chores and sweep 'till the floor's all clean. Polish and wax, do laundry, and mop and shine up, sweep again and by then it's like 7:15.

And so I'll read a book or maybe two or three. I'll add a few new paintings to my gallery. I'll play guitar and knit and cook and basically just wonder when will my life begin?” Anakin trailed off, eyes going distant as the air around him shimmered and danced along. Threepio only had to wait a few seconds before Anakin was back with him, grin splitting his face as he launched back into verse. “Then after lunch it's puzzles and darts and baking. Paper mache, a bit of ballet and chess. Pottery and ventriloquy, candle making. Then I'll stretch, maybe sketch, take a climb, sew a vest! And I'll reread the books if I have time to spare. I'll paint the walls some more, I'm sure there's room somewhere.

“And then I'll brush and brush and brush and brush my hair, stuck in the same place I've always been. And I'll keep wanderin' and wanderin' and wanderin' and wonderin', when will my life begin?” Anakin dropped the brush where he had finally finished with the last foot, immediately collapsing against the window ledge, staring out into the world. “And tomorrow night the lights will appear, just like they do on my birthday each year. What is it like out there where they glow? Now that I'm older, Father might just let me go.” Threepio spun his way up to Anakin’s shoulder as his voice grew soft, nuzzling against the teen’s cheek in comfort. Anakin’s eyes were once again distant and Threepio knew he had lost him to the Force for the meantime. He draped himself across Anakin’s shoulders to wait until the boy came back to the present. 

\- - -

Obi-Wan huffed as he slid down the roof and vaulted across various spires. The Force was a boon for stunts such as this but still, Obi-Wan was rather put out that he had to do it in the first place. A son of one of the most prominent guards in Nabooian court, a Jedi Master in his own right, highly skilled and prized for his abilities in negotiating. And currently stuck sneaking along the top of the castle of Tatooine like a common thug all for the sake of one mission. Speaking of common thugs however, Obi-Wan glanced behind himself to catch sight of the brother duo that was following him. He didn’t really want to work with these self-proclaimed bounty hunters but he’d be the first to admit that he wasn’t as skilled in subterfuge and breaking and entering as some other Jedi who would remain nameless. He also wasn’t used to the ‘upper’ levels of Tatooine, taking the streets in past visits like a normal person. 

Duty was duty however, and Obi-Wan was nothing if not bound to it. He had been asked by both the Jedi Council and Queen Padme to resolve the conflict between Naboo and Tatooine, by any means necessary. As such, this was how Obi-Wan found himself attempting to steal the crown of the Lost Prince of Tatooine in order to bring it back to Naboo and enlist the help of fellow Jedi Quinlan Vos in reading the memories and potentially finding a lead on the Lost Prince. The brothers, Maul and Savage, were merely tour guides for Obi-Wan, even if they thought that all three of them were looking for the Lost Prince together. Based on the sickening feeling that Obi-Wan felt in the Force, he honestly didn’t trust them as far as he could throw them. Focusing back on the task on hand, Obi-Wan stopped on the roof of the throne room, taking a deep breath as he looked out at the Tatooine landscape.

“Wow. I could get used to a view like this.” He smiled, eyes gazing across the green oasis that harbored the capital city, Mos Espa, and then the great desert expanse beyond. According to his father, Tatooine used to be the most beautiful land in the world, and while the desert was indeed inhospitable and harsh, Obi-Wan could still appreciate the life of the grand oasis. 

“Kenobi! Come on.” Maul hissed from behind him. Obi-Wan waved him off. 

“Hold on… yep.” He crossed his arms over his chest and rubbed a hand over his beard, hiding the smug smile. “I’m used to it. Fellas, I want a castle.” He spoke, playing up his persona of the rough and roguish Ben Kenobi. Perhaps it said something about him that Obi-Wan could easily slip into such a role.

“We find the Lost Prince, you can buy your own castle. Now let’s go.” Maul snarked as he grabbed the back of Obi-Wan’s vest and shoved the rope at him. Obi-Wan rolled his eyes. So uncivilized. He tied the rope around his waist though and in an amazing display of trust, if he did say so himself, let the brothers lower him through the roof and into the throne room where the Lost Prince’s crown resided on a forest green pillow, trimmed in gold. This part was almost too easy, grabbing the crown of weaved silver and gold, inlaid with diamonds and emeralds and sapphires, and stuffing it into his satchel. Easy until Obi-Wan’s mouth got the better of him. 

“Eugh, hay fever?” He asked, one brow raised in the direction of a guard who had just sneezed. He internally winced at the novice mistake and hoped that no one would hear of this. Already Obi-Wan could imagine the combined teasing of his best friend Quinlan and his Padawan Ahsoka. 

“Yeah.” The guard responded before startling and whirling around to face Obi-Wan who had to bite back a chuckle at the bewildered look on his face. “Wait. Hey, wait!” But Obi-Wan was already being lifted up and onto the roof by the brothers. Quickly divesting himself of the ropes, Obi-Wan slung the crown-carrying satchel across his body and grinned at Maul and Savage. 

“We might have company.” He said before taking off back across the rooftops. Behind him, he could hear the duo growling and cursing as they followed. Getting back down to street level was almost easier than getting up, if one chose to ignore that falling and breaking your neck was a possibility. The bridge that spanned across a canyon, from oasis to desert, was long yet deserted and Obi-Wan couldn’t help but laugh. “Can't you picture me in a castle of my own? Cause I certainly can. All the things we've seen and it's only eight in the morning. Gentlemen, this is a very big day!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First actual chapter posted! I'm halfway done with Chapter 4 and have an outline for Chapter 5 so for now I'll be posting a new chapter everyday
> 
> Kudos and comments are much appreciated!


	3. Father Knows Best

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Imagine: Palpatine singing
> 
> That's it. That's the chapter.

“This is it. This is a very big day, Threepio.” Anakin was all but vibrating as he packed away his paints and brushes, careful to keep the colors off his hands. Father never liked when Anakin was messy. He sat back on his heels and grinned to himself, running a hand down the tail of the krayt dragon draped around his neck. “I’m finally gonna do it. I’m gonna ask him!” Threepio trilled in response, happy and encouraging all at once.

“Anakin! Let down your hair!”

“It’s time!” Anakin said, quickly getting up. Threepio raised his head and puffed out his chest, face skewing into one of fierce bravery. Or as fierce as a three foot long lizard with wings could be. “I know, I know. I’ll do my best. Now come on, don’t let him see you.” Anakin quickly shuffled the krayt dragon off his shoulders and watched the golden scaled creature fly far up into the rafters. 

“Anakin? I’m not getting any younger down here.”

“Coming Father!” Anakin yelled out, rushing to the window and looping his hair around the hook resting above the window. Reaching back inside, he bundled up the rest of the length and casted it out the window, the long tresses billowing out in a wave of gold. Anakin waited for the signature tug and weight before pulling on his hair to draw it back inside. The Force danced along his skin, warm and delightful, as it aided Anakin in pulling up the man from outside the tower. Said man was older, with a grandfatherly disposition and far wiser than Anakin could ever hope to be. His hair was a soft brunette, nearly red, that fell to his shoulders and his eyes were the same blue as Anakin’s own. “Hi,” Anakin smiled, pulling the last few feet of his hair into the tower where it was safe, “welcome home, Father.”

“Oh, Anakin.” Palpatine sighed as he stepped off the window ledge and into the tower, casting the hood off his face. “How you manage to do that every single day without fail,” Palpatine smiled warmly and held onto Anakin’s shoulder with one hand while trailing the other against his cheek. “it looks absolutely exhausting, my boy.”

“Oh, it’s nothing.” Anakin shrugged, though his cheeks still warmed up at the rare compliment.

“Then I don’t know it takes so long.” Palpatine laughed, patting his reddened cheeks, before sauntering farther into the tower with a swirl of his robes. Anakin felt his smile fall slightly but as always, his Father was quick to take notice and rectify it. “Oh darling, don’t worry. I’m just teasing.” Anakin nodded, knowing that his Father loved him. He was just feeling a little lonely and emotional with the few days that Palpatine had been gone.

“Of course… so, Father.” Anakin started out, trailing after Palpatine who had gone to look in the mirror, straightening his clothes. “As you know, tomorrow is a very big day-”

“Anakin, my boy, look in that mirror.” Palpatine interrupted, pulling Anakin next to him to share the mirror. One arm wrapped around Anakin’s back, pressing the teen close to his Father. “You know what I see? I see a strong, confident, beautiful young man.” Palpatine paused for a moment before chuckling. “And oh look, you’re here too!” Anakin’s proud smile at the new set of compliments dimmed again. “I’m just teasing, stop taking everything so seriously.” Palpatine half hugged Anakin to his side before releasing him and stepping closer to the mirror to adjust his collar. 

“Ok, so Father. As I was saying, tomorrow is-” Anakin’s smile grew tentative.

“Anakin, Father’s feeling a little run down. Would you sing for me, dear? Then we’ll talk.” Palpatine’s smile was warm in the mirror as he looked at Anakin, but the teen could see the tiredness that accompanied it. 

“Oh! Of course, Father!” Anakin whirled around and grabbed the chair that his Father preferred, setting it down near the fireplace, before turning and grabbing the simple stool that he had been sitting on since he was a child, when his Father used to brush his hair for him. Speaking of brushes, Anakin’s eyes darted around to where it could be, not quite remembering where he had left it after finishing brushing earlier that morning. A small caress from the Force tilted Anakin’s head to the left and he grinned, immediately catching sight of the golden handle. Calling it to him with the Force, Anakin turned and handed it to Palpatine before taking his place.

“Flower gleam and glow, let your power shine, make the clock reverse, bring what once was mine.” Anakin closed his eyes, singing rapidly and barely taking the time to appreciate the flow of the Force rushing through him. “Heal what has been hurt, change the fate’s design, save what has been lost, bring back what once was mine.”

“Anakin!” Palpatine’s voice scolded from behind him but Anakin paid no heed, immediately turning on the stool and eagerly leaning forward into his Father’s space. 

“So, Father, earlier I was saying tomorrow’s a pretty big day, and you didn’t really respond, so I’m just going to tell you. It’s my birthday!” He crowed, eyes bright in anticipation. 

“No, no, no. Can’t be.” Palpatine shook his head, immediately making Anakin frown. Had he miscalculated the days again? “I distinctly remember. Your birthday was last year.” 

“Oh, well that’s the funny thing about birthdays, they’re kind of an annual thing.” Anakin rolled his eyes. Of course his Father was just teasing him, it was just his way, but Anakin was content to play along. “Father… I’m turning eighteen, and I wanted to ask…” He trailed off, momentarily distracted by a touch of the Force against his back. “What I really want for this birthday…” He mumbled, still slightly lost in a haze of colors that he knew was the Force trying to tell him something. 

“Anakin please, stop with the mumbling. You know how I feel about the mumbling.” Palpatine scolded. “It’s very annoying and just blah, blah, blah.” His Father rolled his eyes and Anakin snapped back to himself, just catching sight of the action. “I’m just teasing, you’re adorable. I love you so much, my boy.” Palpatine’s voice was vaguely placating as he patted Anakin’s shoulder and stood up. Anakin was losing him. His eyes flicked down to the ground but a soft squeak caught his attention and he looked to see the golden form of Threepio in the shadows, gesturing with his wings in the direction of Palpatine.

“I want to see the floating lights!” Anakin blurted out, voice loud and echoing in the tower. He quickly got to his feet so he wasn’t so small in comparison to his Father. 

“I’m sorry… what?” Palpatine asked, slowly turning from where he had been selecting which apple was best. 

“Well…” Anakin swallowed nervously before pulling himself up onto the fireplace and dragging the curtains away from the piece he had painted earlier. “I was hoping you would take me to see the floating lights.” He gestured to the painting of a deep blue sky, dark compared to the swirls of golden light, shadowing over the dark green branches of a forest. A river of gold on top of the trees was Anakin’s own personal hope that he would get to gaze up at the floating lights in person. If he painted it, then it must come true, right?

“Oh, you mean the stars.” Palpatine smiled, shaking his head as if amused by Anakin.

“But that’s the thing!” Anakin insisted, now worried that his Father wouldn’t take him seriously. “I’ve charted stars and they’re always constant. But these?” Anakin waved a hand at the glowing lights he had painted onto the wall. “They appear every year on my birthday, Father. Only on my birthday. And I can’t help but feel like they’re… they’re meant for me.” Anakin’s voice went nearly whisper soft, barely loud enough to echo in the tower. “I need to see them, Father. And not just from my window. In person. I have to know what they are.” Anakin pleaded to Palpatine, hoping beyond hope that his Father would understand why Anakin needed this.

“You want to go outside? Oh Anakin. Look at you, as fragile as a flower. Still a little sapling, just a sprout. You know why we stay up in this tower.”

“I know, but- “

“That's right, to keep you safe and sound, dear. Guess I always knew this day was coming. Knew that soon you'd want to leave the nest. Soon, but not yet.”

“But-”

“Shhh.. Trust me pet, Father knows best.” Palpatine winked as he moved around the room, closing the window shutters and drawing the curtains, making the interior of the tower pitch black. Anakin froze in the dark, unsure of what he was supposed to do. Father didn’t often humor him with songs. After a moment, he reached out with the Force for a candle, lighting it with a quick spark of his fingers. “Father knows best. Listen to your Father. It's a scary world out there. Father knows best. One way or another. Something will go wrong, I swear.” Anakin jumped in fright as he was pushed and shoved, his Father moving in and out of the shadows.

“Ruffians, thugs, poison ivy, quicksand, cannibals, and snakes, the plague. Also large bugs, men with pointy teeth. And stop, no more, you'll just upset me.” Palpatine’s voice was not nearly enough comfort for Anakin, the teen wrapping his hair around himself as if it would protect him from his Father’s words. “Father's right here. Father will protect you. Darling here's what I suggest. Skip the drama, stay with Papa... Father knows best! Father knows best. Take it from your daddy, on your own you won't survive.” His Father’s voice turned amused, finally standing in one place long enough for Anakin to finally notice him. “Sloppy, underdressed, immature, clumsy, please, they'll eat you up alive. Gullible, naive, positively grubby. Ditzy and a bit, well, hmm vague. Plus I believe, getting kinda chubby. I'm just saying, ‘cause I wuv you.” Anakin felt tears prick at his eyes, not realizing how much he still had to learn from his Father.

“Father understands, Father’s here to help you. All I have is one request.” Anakin could have sobbed as Palpatine stood in the light with a kind smile and open arms. As it was, the teen ran to his Father, collapsing into his hold and hanging on tight. “Anakin?”

“Yes?” Anakin asked in a timid voice, afraid of what more his Father had to share with him.

“Don’t ever ask to leave this tower, again.” Palpatine’s voice was unyielding and Anakin instantly nodded, taking it to heart.

“Yes, Father.”

“Ahh, I love you very much, my boy.” Palpatine tilted Anakin’s head down so he could kiss the crown of it. Anakin sank into the warm and safe feeling of his Father’s love.

“I love you more.”

“I love you most. Don't forget it. You'll regret it. Father knows best.” Palpatine ended with a gentle smile. “Now Anakin… help me pack up. There are a few things I need to run and get.”  
Anakin nodded and opened the window, letting light shine back into the tower, before gathering his Father’s travel cloak and an empty basket for whatever Palpatine was getting. Casting his hair back out the window, Anakin helped lower his Father down to the ground.

“I’ll see you in a bit, my flower.” Palpatine called up to him before taking his leave. Anakin smiled, his Father really did love him and was just looking out for him. His smile dropped as he watched his hair wave in the wind. So why did the Force feel so small when his Father was around?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought this fic would be short and sweet, following the plot of Tangled. I see now that I was wrong. My outline for it has been greatly expanded, so hope all of you are prepared and excited because I sure am! (even if I am crying on the inside)
> 
> The chapters will also start getting longer, the next one is nearly 4k, so yay. Also please note I bumped the rating to Mature, just because I'd rather be safe than sorry about some of the eventual themes this story will probably run into now.
> 
> Kudos and comments much appreciated! Thanks to everyone who has left kudos so far


	4. Wanted For Being a Public Nuisance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Horses, frying pans, and wardrobes, oh my

Obi-Wan was in shape but running through sand and over hard rocks was a workout for anyone. Slowing down by a half standing building, he stopped and leaned against the stone, panting away as he tried to catch his breath on the dry desert air. Movement caught his attention and he looked up to see a flutter of paper tacked onto the stone. Mouth dropping open in shock, Obi-Wan grabbed the wanted poster plastered with his face.

“Oh no, no no no . This is bad, this is very, very bad.” He fretted. “This is really bad. Why does Tatooine want me dead or alive?” At the bottom of the poster read ‘Public Nuisance’. Obi-Wan frowned. What in the Force did that mean? Him, a public nuisance?

“Who cares?” Maul snarled from where the brothers were standing hunched over, also out of breath.

“I care!” Obi-Wan exclaimed. “What does public nuisance mean anyway? And why does that warrant being wanted dead or alive?” The sound of horses caused the trio to turn and look farther up the canyon. On a hanging ledge stood five horses, palace guards astride each one in their gold and green uniforms. Obi-Wan turned and started running again, Maul and Savage following suit. Of course, Obi-Wan should have realized that running through a canyon system was bound to lead to disaster. Rounding a few bends herded the trio into a dead end, the cliff face sheer and tall.

“Damn it. Alright, ok. Give me a boost up, and then I’ll pull you up.” Obi-Wan quickly planned out. He turned to see the brothers scowling at him.

“Give us the satchel first.” Maul frowned, reaching out a hand.

“What? After everything today you don’t trust me?” Obi-Wan scoffed. The deadpan stares of the brothers were enough of an answer. Rolling his eyes, Obi-Wan took off the satchel and dumped it in Maul’s hand, expression also flat. “Ouch.” After handing over the satchel though, Maul was quick to jump onto Savage’s shoulders before grabbing Obi-Wan and hauling him up. Obi-Wan scrambled for purchase against Maul, huffing in minor irritation at the man-handling and then scrambled up the rest of the way, using the Force to help haul himself over the edge of the canyon.

“Now help us up, pretty boy.” Maul sneered, reaching up a hand. Obi-Wan stared down at them with an amused smirk. Amatuers.

“Sorry… my hands are full.” Obi-Wan held up the satchel and winked down at the brothers before darting off, farther into the desert.

“Kenobi!” Maul’s scream carried after him but Obi-Wan paid it no mind. He had the crown, he had shaken off the bounty hunter brothers, and now all he had to do was ditch the guards after him before making his way back to Naboo. Obi-Wan’s feet suddenly found easy purchase in hard-packed sand and he skidded to a stop. A road. Kriff. The close thunder of the horses panicked Obi-Wan into sprinting down the road, looking for a way to shake them.

A series of dead trees blocking most of the road made Obi-Wan grin. Maybe the Force was with him today after all. Vaulting over the pile, Obi-Wan heard the distinct thud of arrows hitting the wood. Oh kark it all, they really mean business don’t they? Obi-Wan thought as he kept running refusing to look behind himself. 

\- - -

“Retrieve that satchel at any cost!” Captain Hux’s voice rang out. A series of ‘yes sirs’ chorused after it but Artoo paid them no mind. Instead he gave the same orders to his subordinates, the answering neighs much more revelatory. Up ahead, Artoo saw the thief vault over a pile of dead trees and snorted to himself. If that Nabooian criminal thought that was enough to stop the most decorated horses in Tatooine, well… Gathering himself up, Artoo jumped for all he was worth, clearing the obstacle with room to spare. Behind him, Artoo could hear his team do the same. Artoo flared his nostrils in excitement at the chase, pushing himself faster. The thief was quick to dart to the right and jump through a narrow crack in the canyon walls. Artoo’s team pulled up but the white horse merely snorted and followed, jumping through with barely enough room for his rider to squeeze in as well. Captain Hux urged him on however, understanding that catching the criminal was more important than any potential injury.

“We got him now, Artoo.” Captain Hux’s voice was determined and confident and Artoo answered in kind, doubling down on his speed as the thief sprinted down the narrow gully. Said gully was widening however, and they must have been nearing an old oasis as stubborn vines still clung to the canyon walls as well as several dead trees. Artoo blinked in surprise as the Nabooian suddenly disappeared from his sight, not understanding where he had gone until the creak of a vine caught his attention. Glancing up, Artoo saw the thief swinging through the air, crashing into Hux and throwing the Captain to the ground while the thief stayed on Artoo’s back. The man picked up the reins and dug his heels into Artoo’s sides.

“Hah!” The thief shouted and Artoo angrily neighed and slid to a stop causing the Nabooian to crash face first into his plaited mane. “What? Come on, fleabag!” The thief shouted, voice tinged with frustration. He kicked his heels against Artoo once more but he refused to move. “Forward!” The man shouted again. Artoo tossed his head and looked over his shoulder, about to whirl around and toss the man before realizing that the satchel was quite literally sitting in front of his face. Blinking in surprise, Artoo went to snatch it but his teeth clamped on empty air. “No. No, stop it.” The thief said in warning as Artoo continued to try and grab it, finally succeeding. Now tossing and turning, Artoo wrestled against the Nabooian for control of the satchel, huffing angrily as the man refused to let go, or even get off his back.

“Give it to me! Give. It.” Both stopped in surprise as the satchel was wrenched loose from both their grasps, sailing into the air before being snagged on a dead tree. A dead tree hanging over the side of a drop off. Glancing at the Nabooian, who glanced at him back, Artoo quickly darted forward to retrieve the satchel. The man was crazier than Captain Hux however as he tackled Artoo’s front legs, forcing the horse to the ground in a disgraceful heap. Indignant, Artoo stretched and caught the thief’s boot, causing him to fall face first into the ground and gave Artoo enough time to stand back up.

Launching himself onto the tree, the white horse carefully pranced his way farther out into the open air, balancing himself as best he could when suddenly the now absolutely psychotic man jumped onto his back and crawled over his head, using the leverage to leap forward. A toss of Artoo’s head threw off the timing of the man’s leap however and he cried out in surprise as he almost missed the tree, wrapping himself around the underside of it. Both horse and man paused again, before Artoo narrowed his eyes and began trying to step on the thief’s hands. He wouldn’t need them if he fell to his death anyway. The Nabooian proved himself to be somewhat capable however, swinging around and just managing to close a fist around the strap of the satchel before it fell as a result of their activities on the dead tree.

Artoo glared at the triumphant man but before he could react, a snapping sound rang out and Artoo whipped his head around to stare back at the solid ground where the roots of the dead tree were breaking. A moment of panic was all Artoo had before the tree completely broke off and dropped like a rock, dragging Artoo and the thief with it. Artoo was horse enough to admit that he screamed in fear on the way down, as did the thief. By the grace of the kingdom though, Artoo made a rather soft landing on a dune, tumbling down in a cascade of sand. Jumping to his feet, Artoo looked for any sign of the thief who still had the satchel. Not immediately finding sight of him, he put his nose to the ground and began trying to track him.

\- - -

Obi-Wan pressed his back against the rock he had rolled behind as the spiteful horse moved past his hiding spot. Once he no longer felt the horse’s presence, Obi-Wan carefully crept out of his spot, warily looking over his shoulder even as he held out a hand to guide him around the canyon wall. Said wall suddenly disappeared under his hand however, causing Obi-Wan to stumble in surprise. He didn’t have time to truly think about what it was though, diving into the open space as the horse came charging back. A sudden tingle of the Force swept over Obi-Wan and he shivered, breath leaving his body in a soft gasp at the lightness and warmth of it. The horse was suddenly in view, mere feet away from Obi-Wan who froze, but the Force wrapped itself around Obi-Wan and the horse remained unaware of its prey. As it left again, Obi-Wan’s breath once again left him. Never had he felt the Force do such a thing before. 

Turning around, he was surprised to see actual grass and flowers growing. Curious, Obi-Wan stepped farther into this new gully, the entrance narrowing, green moss pressing in on him before suddenly widening into a small hidden oasis. Far back along the cliff walls, a waterfall streamed out of the rock face and into a pool that disappeared back into the earth. A few trees stretched tall, flowers were abound, and the softest, most vibrant grass Obi-Wan had ever laid his eyes on covered the entire ground. Mouth falling open in shock, Obi-Wan almost didn’t catch sight of the tower built in the middle of the oasis. The stone work was covered in moss and ivy, making it almost blend into the background. 

Once again hearing the horse, Obi-Wan’s mind was quickly made up and he made his way deeper into the oasis towards the tower. Climbing up was an exercise in patience and caution and liberal use of the Force which seemed to be in abundance here. The air felt practically saturated in it and Obi-Wan was nearly heady from it. Shaking his head, he refocused on his task of finding various hand and foot holds in the stone work. Finally pulling himself up onto a window ledge, Obi-Wan sighed in relief, slipping inside and slamming the shutters shut. Panting slightly, Obi-Wan sagged against the wall. With any luck, he’d be able to rest for a while before having to make his way to Naboo. Patting the satchel that rested against his hip, Obi-Wan shook his head ruefully. 

“Almost more trouble than you’re worth.” He spoke aloud, pushing off against the wall so he could take stock of where he was. A soft noise, almost like a footstep, came from behind him but the Force didn’t whisper any hint of danger to him. Instead it came in a wave of colors, ranging from amusement to fondness, and then pain bloomed across the back of Obi-Wan’s head and all went dark.

\- - -

Anakin froze as soon as he bashed his frying pan against the head of the strange man that had invaded his tower. The stranger crumpled like an ungraceful sack of potatoes and Anakin yelped in minor terror, quickly backing away into a corner with the frying pan held in front of him defensively. When the man didn’t move from his prone state on the floor, Anakin cautiously crept closer. The Force was swirling around him in amusement so Anakin gathered his courage and prodded the man with the frying pan. When he didn’t stir, Anakin relaxed somewhat and used the Force to tilt the man’s head to the side so Anakin could see his face. Compared to what his Father had previously said, the man didn’t look like much of a barbarian or ruffian. In fact, Anakin would almost say the ginger was handsome, if he had any basis for such a thought.

A small sound drew Anakin’s attention to Threepio, the krayt dragon baring his teeth and then pointing at the man with his tail. Right, Father said a lot of men had pointy teeth. Using the handle of the pan, Anakin checked for any fangs, and tilted his head in curiosity when he didn’t see any. Maybe this was a nicer man then? A small groan came from the ginger; a flutter of his eyelashes causing Anakin to panic and whack him again with the frying pan. The man was instantly still once more.

“Well kriff… now what Threepio?” Anakin looked at the golden dragon in desperation. The Force was the one to answer though, a thread of gold spiraling towards Anakin’s wardrobe. “You want me to hide him?” Anakin asked in confusion before realizing what that meant. “Oh! Hide him, and then I can surprise Father and show him I can take care of myself out there!” Anakin ignored the fact that the Force seemed to be humoring him. 

A simple flick of his fingers levitated the man, the Force dancing in the air, and Anakin moved him to the wardrobe and opened it. He waved the man inside and then closed the doors, smiling in satisfaction. The doors sprung open and Anakin yelped as the man fell on top of him, forcing both to crash on the ground. Around him, the Force laughed and Anakin scowled at it. When he reached for the Force again, it danced out of the way and Anakin groaned. Why now did the Force decide to play a game?

Anakin pushed the limp body off of him and got to his feet, frowning in thought. Crouching down, he maneuvered the man and then tried to push him into the wardrobe, but he slipped and hit his head against the floor again, and his back rammed into the edge of the dresser. Sighing loudly, Anakin stopped that method. Next he tried wrapping his hair around the man and using the rafters to swing him into the wardrobe, quickly bounding forward to shut the doors. When the doors stayed, Anakin grinned and went to pull his hair out of the crack between the doors. When his hair stayed stubbornly put, Anakin cursed and kicked the leg of the wardrobe, hissing when it hurt his toes. Flinging the doors open, Anakin let the man drop unceremoniously to the floor, stalking off as he thought of what to do. The Force was of no help to him, caught in full blown laughter at Anakin’s antics. Even Threepio was laughing at him, body arched and doubled over itself as the krayt dragon laughed. Anakin huffed and whirled back around, eyes narrowing at the ginger. 

“Alright you… whatever you are. You are going in the wardrobe whether you like it or not. Even if it’s piece by piece.” He declared. Grabbing the broom, Anakin stalked forward once more and shoved the man into what vaguely resembled a standing position before using the broom to push and prod the body back into the wardrobe. As soon as most of the man was inside the wardrobe, Anakin slammed the doors shut and shouted in triumph. It quickly turned to a once as he noticed several fingers stuck in the doors. Poking them into the wardrobe, Anakin called a chair to him, the Force finally over itself and responding, and propped it against the doors. 

“Ok. Ok ok ok…. I’ve got a person in my closet.” Anakin breathed out to himself, backing away from the wardrobe. Another Force call pulled the frying pan into his hand and Anakin spun it in his hand a bit. “I’ve got a person… in my closet.” he said again. “I’ve got a person in my closet!” He laughed, elated by this turn of events. “Too weak to handle myself out there, huh Father? Well tell that to my frying pan.” Anakin flipped the pan in the air and then yelped as he narrowly dodged the edge of the pan from hitting him in the temple. A small crack of laughter came from the direction of Threepio and Anakin pouted. Really, he had no excuse.

The Force waved another golden thread in front of Anakin’s eyes and he followed the trail to where it wrapped around a bag on the floor. The bag was open and peaking out was a tangle of metal. Tilting his head in curiosity, Anakin crouched down and extracted the piece. It was a rather large, round item of weaved silver and gold. Beautiful gems decorated the piece in the form of emeralds and sapphires and diamonds and Anakin couldn't help the feeling of rightness that came from holding whatever it was. Maybe a bracelet, like Father had once shown him? Slipping it onto his arm, Anakin frowned and glanced at Threepio who had flown down from the table and was standing next to the bag. The krayt dragon narrowed its eyes and then shook its head. Anakin took the circle off his arm and eyed it carefully. A whisper of the Force made Anakin turn towards the floor length mirror in the corner of the room, nearing the reflective surface and reaching up to place the circle on his head. 

A crown… Anakin thought, though he didn't know if the thought was truly his or given to him by the Force. That same sense of rightness filled Anakin upon looking at his reflection. Standing tall and with his shoulders squared, Anakin looked regal and strong. All things that he normally wasn't according to his Father. Perhaps this crown was meant for him too, like the floating lights. 

“Anakin! Let down your hair!” His Father’s voice broke through Anakin’s reverie and he had a moment of panic. Luckily the Force took over for him, slipping the crown off his head and into the bag, flying into an empty vase on the other side of the room. Grinning, Anakin ran for the window.

“One moment, Father!”

“I have a big surprise.” His Father sing-songed. Anakin’s grin grew wider if it was actually possible, looping his hair around the hook and letting it fall outside the window. 

“I do too.” He called down, jumping down from the ledge and beginning the process of pulling his Father up.

“Oh I bet my surprise is bigger.”

“I seriously doubt it.” Anakin tossed a wink at Threepio, who trilled once in happiness before scurrying off to the rafters so Palpatine wouldn’t see him.

“I brought back parsnips.” Palpatine smiled as soon as he made the window ledge. “I thought you could make hazelnut soup for dinner, your favorite. Surprise, my boy!” He said cheerily as he entered the tower, gently patting Anakin’s shoulder before moving to set down his basket on the table. 

“Oh! Well thank you Father… there’s something I wanted to tell you though-”

“Oh Anakin, you know I hate leaving you after a fight. Especially when I’ve done absolutely nothing wrong.” Palpatine’s back was to him so Anakin couldn’t get a read on his mood, but he was too eager to share his own surprise to really analyze his Father closely anyway.

“I’ve been thinking a lot about what you said earlier, and I-”

“I hope you’re not still talking about the stars.” His Father’s voice had gone from warm to cool but Anakin forged on. 

“Floating lights,” he corrected, “and yes, I’m leading up to that-”

“Because I really thought we dropped the issue, my boy.” The chill of the tone made Anakin pause for a moment, questioning if he really wanted to continue and potentially suffer his Father’s wrath. It had been a number of years since Anakin had felt the bolt of electricity sliding over and into his body, an experience he wasn’t very eager to repeat especially after so many years of good behavior. A glance over his shoulder towards the wardrobe steeled Anakin’s courage and he turned back to Palpatine with his chin up. 

“I’m just saying, you think I’m not strong enough to handle myself out there but-”

“Oh darling, I know you’re not strong enough to handle yourself out there.”

“But if you just…”

“Anakin, we’re done talking about this.” His Father finally turned towards him and Anakin pleaded with his eyes, wishing for Palpatine to hear him out. 

“Trust me, I…”

“Anakin.” 

“... know what I’m…”

“Anakin.” His name was said slightly louder, with more force. 

“Father, please!”

“Enough with the lights, Anakin!” His Father suddenly roared, face twisting in fury. “You are not leaving this tower! Ever!” Palpatine’s eyes flashed with gold, but not the warm gold that Anakin usually associated with the Force. Sparks of lightning jumped across his Father’s hands and Anakin was instantly cowed, bowing his head and hunching his shoulders. Palpatine instantly softened, gold and sparks gone, as he slumped into a nearby chair. “Great. Now I’m the bad guy.” 

“All I was gonna say, Father…” Anakin half-heartedly said, almost hugging himself as he tried to recover the conversation and placate his Father, “is that I know what I want for my birthday now.”

“And what is that?” His Father asked, looking up from where his eyes had been hidden in his hand. 

“New paints. The ones made from the white shells you once brought me?” Anakin asked, eyes flicking up to meet his Father’s.

“That is a very long trip, Anakin. All the way back to Naboo. Almost a week’s time.

“I know. I just thought it was a better idea than the… stars.” Anakin finished lamely. He looked back down at the ground, bare feet greeting his sight. The silence from his Father built his hope though. He was really thinking about it. Finally, he heard Palpatine sigh and Anakin looked back up. 

“Are you sure you’ll be alright on your own?” His Father asked, tone warm and caring once again.

“Yes Father. I know I’m safe as long as I’m here.”

“Very well then. I’ll be back in seven days time.” His Father sighed, getting to his feet. “I love you very much, dear, don’t forget that.”

“I love you more.” Anakin said, walking to his Father and stepping into his arms to hug him in gratitude. 

“And I love you most.” Palpatine said, pressing a kiss to his head and hands stroking down Anakin’s hair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the longest chapter yet! Hope you all enjoy 
> 
> Kudos and comments always appreciated!


	5. The Negotiations Were Short

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anakin and Obi-Wan make a deal

Anakin waited until he could no longer see his Father in the oasis. And then he waited a few more minutes just to be safe. His curiosity was quick to win out his caution though and Anakin hurried back towards the wardrobe, grabbing his frying pan along the way. Threepio flew down from the rafters with a questioning hum, landing on the table and tilting his head to watch. 

“Ok Threepio… let’s see what we have.” Anakin spoke as calmly as he could, even though he was nervous. Calling the chair to him with the Force, Anakin flicked out a thick strand of his hair to wrap around the wardrobe handles and pull it open. It took a moment but the ginger slowly fell forward out of the wardrobe with no sign of being awake. Anakin cushioned the fall with the Force, the man still landing face and knees first on the floor, before gravity forced his body straight causing Anakin to huff in soft amusement. How was this supposed to be scary?

Anakin was glad the Force decided to stop playing around in regards to the stranger as it made sitting the man in a chair much easier before using his hair to bind him. Anakin pulled the chair to the center of the floor and then scaled up into the rafters. The joys of having long hair, Anakin mused, great for a variety of tasks. Even being spotlighted didn’t seem to wake up the man though and so Anakin gestured for Threepio to go down and wake him up. The krayt dragon huffed at him but did so anyways, winging down and landing on the ginger’s shoulder. 

First Threepio raised a paw and slapped it against a bearded cheek. 

No response. 

Threepio narrowed his eyes and tried slapping his entire face with a wing with the same result. 

Unamused, Threepio sat up and stuck his tongue inside the man’s ear. The stranger jolted awake with a cry, causing Threepio to fall off his shoulder. 

Finally. 

\- - -

“Wha-...” Obi-Wan said dazedly, looking around in confusion. He didn’t recognize his surroundings. Looking down, he blinked in surprise and tested the bonds that held him. “What? Is this… hair?” He choked out, now looking around wildly. Who on earth tied someone up in hair? Who even had this much hair? 

“Struggling is pointless!” A voice suddenly echoed in whatever room Obi-Wan found himself in. “I know why you’re here, and I’m not afraid of you.” Obi-Wan stared incredulously at where the voice had come from in the shadows. Even he didn’t know why he was here! Last thing Obi-Wan remembered was climbing up into a tower… Ahh, I guess that tower wasn’t nearly as abandoned as I thought, Obi-Wan realized. As it was, Obi-Wan had no idea what he was supposedly wanting. 

“What?” He asked, rather stupidly he thought in hindsight, but it was the only question that came to mind. Where is the famed Negotiator now? He rolled his eyes at himself. His attention was quickly dragged from his inner dialogue though as the shadows suddenly moved, leaping down from above and landing near silently on the floor. Slowly, the shape moved closer into the light revealing a tall, golden haired man. Teen? He seemed youthful. And defiant, with his chin raised in a challenge and a frying pan clutched in his hands. 

“Who are you and how did you find me?” The young man asked, stepping closer to Obi-Wan. 

“I… I’m sorry, did you- did you use a frying pan to knock me out?”

“I said, who are you and how did you find me?” The blonde’s eyes narrowed and the frying pan was raised threateningly. Obi-Wan found it hard to be truly threatened by a shoeless teen bordering on adulthood holding a frying pan as a weapon. Even one as handsome as this one. Right. Negotiator. Undercover. No time to get sidetracked by a pretty face. 

“I know not who you are, nor how I came to find you. But may I just say… hello there.” Obi-Wan smirked, turning on the charm. “The name’s Ben Kenobi. How’s your day going?” The man blinked owlishly at him before snorting and bringing the frying pan to bear, mere inches from Obi-Wan’s face.

“Who else knows my location, Ben Kenobi?” The blonde put extra emphasis on Obi-Wan’s name. Not easily charmed then.

“Alright, Blondie.” Obi-Wan deadpanned. “I-”

“Anakin.” The man interrupted him. 

“Right. Anakin. Here’s the thing. I was in a situation, gallivanting through the forest. I came across your tower and…” Obi-Wan trailed off. “Wait, hold on. Where is my satchel?” He asked in mild panic. 

“It’s been hidden, somewhere you’ll never find it.” The man, Anakin, said proudly with his arms crossing smugly over his chest. Obi-Wan stared at him, looked around, then gestured with his head.

“It’s in that pot over there isn’t it?” Obi-Wan asked. The frying pan flew at him and everything went dark again. He wasn’t sure how much time passed between the last moment and the next, but Obi-Wan was thoroughly fed up with waking up to a lizard’s tongue in his ear. “Would you stop that!?” He growled, rubbing his ear against his shoulder as best he could.

“Now it’s hidden where you’ll never find it.” Obi-Wan was now inclined to believe the blonde. “So. What do you want with my hair, hmm?” Anakin started circling him, like he was prey, and Obi-Wan was not used to that feeling. “To cut it?” Anakin asked and Obi-Wan pointedly looked at the length of it trailing around the tower.

“Looks like that should have been done a long time ago, dear one.” 

“Maybe you want to sell it? Sell me?” Anakin challenged, not rising to Obi-Wan’s bait. Smart man. 

“Why in the Force would I want to sell you or your hair?” The blonde had lost Obi-Wan now.

“Why would you break into my tower otherwise?”

“Listen! The only thing I want with your hair is to get out of it.” Obi-Wan gave a small struggle against his bindings for emphasis. “Literally.” 

“You… don’t want my hair?” Anakin was frowning now, as if Obi-Wan had just told him the biggest plot twist in history.

“No.” Obi-Wan implored. “Why in the Force would I want your hair? I was in the forest, being chased. I found your tower and climbed it to seek refuge until I could continue on my way. End of story.”

“Huh…” The young man trailed off, head tilting in consideration. The lizard flew up and landed on Anakin’s shoulder. “What do you think, Threepio? Is he telling the truth?” The lizard, and what kind of name was Threepio, tilted its head in the same manner as Anakin. Crazy, the both of them. The lizard’s golden eyes narrowed before he jumped onto the rim of the frying pan and flapped his wings. Anakin must have understood whatever that meant, because suddenly the frying pan was in Obi-Wan’s face again and the lizard was even closer, creating the most surreal staring contest Obi-Wan had ever been a part of. A few beats of silence and Obi-Wan guessed he must have passed some sort of test because the frying pan was slowly pulled out, taking the lizard with it. 

Threepio was quick to scale up to Anakin’s shoulder again and the man presented his backside to Obi-Wan, starting what sounded like a heated discussion. Again, crazy. Focusing with the Force, Obi-Wan tried to listen in on what was being said but only caught a few words about taking someone somewhere and a lack of fangs before the Force closed in on itself and stopped Obi-Wan from listening. That was an interesting turn of events. The Force felt nearly alive here and for some reason it was desperately attached to the man in front of him. Promising himself to unpack that thought later, Obi-Wan proceeded to eye the rest of the man. Besides the hair, which Obi-Wan didn’t think had ever seen a pair of scissors, Anakin was a rather striking figure. Tall, broad shoulders, a very thin waist, and long legs encased in skin tight leggings. And of course, a lack of shoes. Seriously, what had Obi-Wan gotten himself into?

“Alright!” Obi-Wan’s attention snapped back into reality, Anakin having turned and was now stalking past him. “Ben Kenobi. I am prepared to offer you a deal.” The man spoke with authority, a flick of his fingers causing Obi-Wan’s chair to rotate and face the fireplace. “Do you know what these are?” Anakin asked as he jumped onto the mantle and swept aside a heavy drape revealing a rather stunning painting of floating lights. 

“You mean the lantern thing they do for the Prince?” Obi-Wan asked with one brow raised. Seriously, had Anakin ever left this tower? It sounded like he had lived under a rock for the past eighteen years. 

“Lanterns?” Anakin’s entire being brightened considerably, nearly blinding Obi-Wan at the strength of his Force presence before it dimmed down significantly, barely existent once more. “I knew they weren’t stars.” The blonde whispered to himself with a grin before visibly shaking himself. “Anyway, tomorrow evening they will light the night sky with these lanterns. You will act as my guide, take me to see these lanterns, and then return me safely back home. Then, and only then, will I return your satchel to you.”

“Right…” Obi-Wan drawled. “I’m afraid I can’t do that. You see, Tatooine and I aren’t exactly on the best of terms right now. So I won’t be taking you anywhere.” Anakin’s eyes narrowed as he jumped off the mantle and stalked towards him. Obi-Wan most certainly did not have a problem keeping his eyes up and focused on Anakin’s face. He was a Jedi. He was better than that. 

“The Force brought you here, Ben Kenobi.” the blonde declared, as if it was the simplest fact in the world. “No one has ever been able to find my tower in the eighteen years I’ve lived here. Yet here you are! The day before my birthday. It can only be the will of the Force and I will not lose my only chance at leaving this place and seeing those lanterns for myself.” Obi-Wan was slightly taken aback at the passion that underlied Anakin’s voice, taking a moment to really think through the man’s words since it obviously meant so much to him. The more he thought on it however… the more he looked around and noticed the faint childish paintings on the walls, a few old games on a shelf, Force, even the man’s bare feet… the more Obi-Wan wasn’t sure he liked the big picture. 

“You… how old are you turning tomorrow?” Obi-Wan switched tactics. If Anakin didn’t really want to listen then perhaps he’d answer questions. 

“Eighteen.” Anakin eyed Obi-Wan warily. “Why?”

“Well... '' Obi-Wan really wished he wasn’t bound so that he could stroke his beard. It always helped him think. “I might be able to take you to Mos Espa to see the lanterns. But it would require something of you.” 

“And what is that?”

“Well like I mentioned before, Tatooine and I don’t exactly get along right now. Their Prince went missing nearly eighteen years ago and they blame my kingdom for it, even though it’s not true. You’re about the right age, similar looks as well if I remember correctly. Come with me to Mos Espa, see the lanterns… and then we’ll take you to the Queen and present you as the Lost Prince.” Obi-Wan sat back in his chair and lifted his chin with a satisfied smile. His orders were to end the bad blood between Tatooine and Naboo after all. Perhaps Anakin could fool the Queen and everyone would be happy. If Anakin didn’t fool her, however, then with any luck Obi-Wan would already be on his way back to Naboo with the Prince’s crown and could then see about finding the real Lost Prince. An honest mistake to bring a fake one to the Queen.

“You… what?” Anakin was blinking at him like he was crazy which, unfair, considering which one of them wasn’t wearing shoes and had presumably lived in a tower all his life. “Pass me off as a prince? What if she doesn’t believe it? I could be hurt. But what if she does believe it? Then I’d be stuck in Mos Espa and my Father would be so worried. 

“Well the alternative is you can stay here and just give me the crown and I’ll be on my way.” Obi-Wan bartered. The simpler path would in all honesty be easier. Perhaps he should try and push Anakin towards this path instead.

“You’re taking me to see the lanterns.” Anakin said quickly. “So fine, I’ll play the role of your stupid Lost Prince or whatever it is. But you will get me back out and return me home. Safely. After all, that was part of my deal to begin with.” Negotiations. Lovely. 

“Well then that would defeat the purpose of me telling the Queen you’re her long lost son, dear one.” Obi-Wan shot back. Anakin moved closer, jerking his hair to him so that Obi-Wan’s chair tilted dangerously forward, only held up by Anakin’s hand against the back of it. 

“Trust me when I say that you will never see your precious satchel again if you don’t take me to the lanterns and return me home safe. You could tear this entire tower down, brick by brick, and still never find it.” Anakin snarled, his face finally twisting into something unpleasant. Unsure of where to go from here, as obviously this man was just as stubborn as him, Obi-Wan decided that it was far past the time of trying to escape. 

“Look, dear one, I am terribly sorry about this but you’ve left me no choice.” Obi-Wan reached out for the Force and used it to unwind the hair from himself and push Anakin back. Or at least he attempted to. The Force felt like light, dancing out of his hands. There and easily felt but unable to be grasped. Obi-Wan gaped in shock as Anakin’s face smoothed out into amusement. 

“Seems like I’m not the only one the Force likes to play tricks on.” Anakin’s voice was positively dripping in glee. Obi-Wan was still not over his shock and so didn’t pay attention to the way Anakin talked about the Force as if it was a living thing.

“I… this is kind of an off day for me apparently.”

“So we have a deal then? You take me to see the lights. I go before the Queen, pass myself off as her long lost son. You come rescue me and deliver me back here, unharmed. And then I’ll give you your precious satchel.”

“You know it’s not exactly skewed in my favor. There are a number of things that could go wrong and-”

“Do we have a deal, Ben Kenobi?” Anakin interrupted him. Honestly, the youth of today.

“Yes! Fine. I’ll take you to see the lanterns.” Obi-Wan finally gave in to the persistent boy. Anakin grinned, and oh wasn’t that such a beautiful thing to see, and righted Obi-Wan’s chair. 

“Good! I’m glad we could come to an agreement.” The blonde said happily. “I honestly expected that to take longer. My Father always says negotiations can last for days on end.” 

“Yes… the negotiations were short.” Obi-Wan agreed mildly, feeling as if he had been vaguely cheated by an upstart. But the way the Force frollicked around them, brushing against Obi-Wan and lighting up around Anakin, Obi-Wan couldn’t be too bitter about this turn of events.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I posted this later than normal, today was busy getting ready for Spring Break
> 
> Kudos and comments are my lifeblood


	6. Terrible Son

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anakin makes his choice, Obi-Wan is wondering what's the quickest way to ditch the teen and his lizard, and Palpatine has a very bad, no good day.

“You coming, Blondie?” Obi-Wan snarked from where he was carefully climbing down the tower, using liberal amounts of the Force to avoid falling the entire way if the amount of power swirling around the man was any indication. Anakin ignored him as he looped his hair around the hook yet again, slowly stepping closer to the edge. Tucked between his side and arm was the frying pan, who knew it could be such a good weapon, but Anakin was naive, not stupid, and so had tucked his training sword into his belt as well, the simple silver pommel hidden by his vest. Anakin leaned over the edge, staring at the ground as he gripped onto his hair.  
“Look at the world, so close and I’m halfway to it.” Anakin sang softly, the Force gently urging him forward. “Look at it all, so big, do I even dare?” He glanced back into the tower, eyes catching on his painting above the fireplace, before the Force turned his head back to the world outside. “Look at me, there at last, I just have to do it.” Anakin closed his eyes and took a breath. “Here I go…” Threepio trilled from behind him, Anakin opening his eyes just in time to watch a golden blur dive out of the window and out into the air. Grinning, Anakin jumped and laughed in joy as the wind rushed past him, the Force laughing with him. Too quickly the ground came up to meet him and Anakin quickly stopped himself, suspended above the grass that looked even softer up close. Barely daring to breath, Anakin put one foot down. Then the other.

“Just smell the grass, the dirt, just like I dreamed they’d be.” Anakin sank onto the ground, feeling a surge of utter amazement. “Just feel that summer breeze, the way it’s calling me.” The Force pulled Anakin upright and he went with it, watching soft tufts of a dandelion seed catch the air. Anakin’s feet plunged into something cool and he looked down to see the stream, waterfall cascading far to his left. “For like the first time ever, I’m completely free.” Threepio flew around him in a tight circle and then headed for the opening Anakin had watched his Father disappear out of innumerable times. “I could go running and racing and dancing and chasing and leaping and bounding…” Anakin bolted, arms pumping and the Force fueling his speed. “Hair flying, heart pounding, and splashing and reeling and finally feeling-” The world outside his oasis was barren and dry yet the Force pulled Anakin forward, up a hill and onto a cliff edge where the world was splayed out in a ray of browns and spots of green. “That’s when my life begins!” Anakin tilted his head back and spread out his arms, taking in the full feeling of the sun on his face. Underneath his feet the rocky ground became less pronounced and Anakin looked down to see soft green grass sprouting before his eyes. Anakin grinned and greeted it with a tendril of the Force. The grass answered by growing taller, pushing out to further encompass the cliff edge. 

“I can’t believe I did this.” Anakin stared at it in wonder. Looking back to where he had been, Anakin felt his heart try to jump up his throat. “Oh… I can’t believe I did this….” Ben finally appeared, gone one moment and there the next where the edge of the oasis was hidden. “I can’t believe I did this!” Anakin shouted, running back down the hill and towards his guide. The nearer he got to the hidden entrance, the more Anakin’s heart pounded and he stopped short of reaching Ben. “Father will be so furious. But I mean, that’s ok. What he doesn’t know won’t kill him, right?” He looked to Ben for confirmation but didn’t wait to hear his reply, turning and running his hands through his hair. “Oh Force… this would kill him.” Threepio dove in front of him, pulling Anakin’s attention to a dead tree that spanned a small, shallow fissure. Eyes brightening, Anakin followed the krayt dragon and jumped onto the log, laughing as it creaked and groaned and buckled underneath his weight. “This is so fun!” He screamed, jumping the last few feet as the tree broke, landing lightly on the ground, Threepio looping around him yet again.

Anakin spun in circles, just following Threepio’s path, and caught Ben watching him. Was that confusion or amusement? Maybe some concern. Concern. His Father would be beyond concerned. Anakin slumped to the ground, eyes widening.

“I am a terrible son. I have to go back.” Ben neared Anakin’s frozen body, and yes that was definitely concern written on his features now. A golden thread waved in front of his eyes, winding up into the sky where it formed the shape of a glowing lantern. Anakin laughed. “That’s right, I can’t go back.” Oh. Can’t? What would Father say? “I am a despicable human being!” Anakin cried out, leaping to his feet, tears in his eyes. Ben finally stopped a few feet away from him. 

“You know,” The ginger started out slowly, “I can't help but notice you seem a little at war with yourself, dear one.” 

“Really? What gave it away?” Anakin snarked even as he tried to wipe away a few stray tears.

“Now, I'm only picking up bits and pieces of course..Overprotective father, forbidden road trip. This is serious stuff, yes?” Ben asked, folding his arms across his chest. “But let me ease your conscience a bit, dear one. This is part of growing up. A little rebellion, a little adventure, that's good, healthy even.” 

“It is?” Anakin paused, blinking in utter confusion. Rebellion didn’t sound like it was healthy or good. Father hated when Anakin acted out but Anakin had been so good recently that his Father hardly ever had to punish him anymore. 

“It is.” Ben agreed, pulling him out of his head. “You're way over thinking this, trust me. Does your father deserve it? No. Will this break his heart and crush his soul? Of course. But you just gotta do it. For yourself if nothing else.” Ben said it like it was the most reasonable thing in the world.

“Break his heart?” Anakin’s voice was meek, eyes wide.

“In half.” 

“Crush her soul?”

“Like a grape.”

“He would be heartbroken, you're right.” Anakin said somberly. 

“I am, aren't I?” Ben sighed. “Oh, bother. Alright, I can't believe I'm saying this, but...I'm letting you out of the deal.”

“What?” That got Anakin’s attention, refocusing from thinking about his Father to the deal and seeing the floating lights.

“That’s right. I’ll let you out of the deal. We can turn around and get you back home safe, just like you wanted. You can watch the lanterns from your window, where it’s safer for you.” Ben pressed the frying pan against Anakin’s chest and oh, he had forgotten about it, and then Ben was somehow plucking Threepio out of the air and plopping him on Anakin’s shoulder. “Here’s your pan, here’s your lizard. I get back my satchel and you get back a father son relationship based on mutual trust. We can part ways as the unlikeliest of friends.” Ben’s smile was off. Humoring. As if Anakin was a child. 

“No. I am seeing those lanterns.” Anakin reaffirmed. He was nearly eighteen, less than a day away. 

“Oh come on. Certainly heading back to your tower now and giving me the satchel back is easier than making the trip all the way to Mos Espa and playing the role of the Lost Prince?” Ben scowled. Anakin raised the pan and pointed it at Ben’s face.

“I will use this.” He threatened. Somewhere behind him something cracked and Anakin yelped, leaping behind Ben and scrambling up onto his back. The ginger grunted at the sudden weight, quickly adjusting his balance to keep them both upright.

“Anakin! What-?”

“Is it ruffians? Thugs? Have they come for me?” Anakin clung to Ben tighter, brandishing the frying pan out in front of them. A dry bush, with budding green leaves on it, shook and Anakin whimpered softly. A moment passed and then a soft little creature jumped out, nose twitching adorably. Anakin’s entire body relaxed in one exhale. He recognized bunnies.

“Careful.” Ben deadpanned. “It can probably smell fear.” Anakin rolled his eyes and let himself fall from Ben’s back. 

“Well sorry. I’m just a little jumpy is all.”

“I hadn’t noticed.” Ben’s voice was almost dryer than the dust coating the ground. “Probably best if we avoid ruffians thugs though, yes?”

“Yes.” Anakin agreed whole-heartedly, touching his hair to remind himself that it was still safe. And besides, Ben wouldn’t let anything happen to him. 

“Are you hungry? It is getting late, and I don’t think you want to spend the night in the desert.”

“Force no.” Anakin grimaced. “What do you have in mind?”

“Oh I know a great place. Very entertaining. You’ll know it when you smell it too.” Ben’s smile was very amused and Anakin shrugged, setting off in whatever direction the Force pulled him too. It meant that he missed Ben’s hiss of pain though, rubbing at his cheek like he had been slapped. The Force curled tighter around Anakin, purring in contentment, and Threepio settled down to drape over his shoulders with much the same sound. 

\- - -

Artoo stalked around the extensive canyon system with his nose to the ground, sniffing for any sign of the crazy Nabooian thief. He had already been searching for most of the morning and finding absolutely nothing. A flutter of movement caught his eye and Artoo paused, raising his head. Pasted to a worn down wall was a paper with a familiar face on it. Artoo flattened his ears against his head and tore the paper down, chewing it into little pieces as an outlet for his frustration. Never had Artoo taken so long to apprehend a criminal. Hunting down the thief was now a point of pride for him.

A rustle in the distance, against dead bushes and shifting sands, had Artoo creeping for cover behind a large boulder. Waiting until he heard the soft footsteps come closer, Artoo timed his jump perfectly, leaping out with teeth bared and eyes blazing. The cloaked figure jumped and a crackle of sparks erupted from the man’s hand before quickly sizzling out.

“Oh… a Tatooine Palace horse.” The man’s voice was filled with derision which Artoo took offense to. “Wait… where’s your rider?” The sudden shift into panic confused Artoo. “Anakin!” The man suddenly whirled and ran back the way he had come leaving Artoo standing like a fool. 

\- - -

Palpatine rushed back through the canyons, heedless of dead branches and bushes that tore at his cloak or rocks that threatened to make him stumble. Liberal amounts of the Force quickened Palpatine’s step as he raced for the hidden oasis that protected his precious flower. At the base of the tower, Palpatine finally stopped, heart clenching in fear as he called up to his flower. 

“Anakin, let down your hair!” He called worriedly. The Force felt still and silent in a way that it hadn’t been for many, many years. “Anakin!” He nearly screamed. With no response, Palpatine rushed around the tower base, straight to the old staircase that he blocked years ago, as soon as Anakin’s hair had been long enough. It was a simple trick of the Force that made Anakin forget its existence too. He blasted the old opening with lightning, the rocks crumbling against the sheer power that Palpatine exuded. As soon as the way was wide enough, Palptaine squeezed through and ran up the stairs. 

“Anakin?” He tried one last time, though he knew already, through the Force, that nothing living lay in the tower. “That stupid boy!” Palpatine suddenly raged, sending a powerful blast with a wave of his hand that obliterated a chair and the wardrobe and cracked the wall. His precious flower, enslaved inside a living creature that had no respect for its life. Breathing heavily, Palpatine went to leave but a soft spot of light shone into his eye and he stopped to look at what caused it. Something under the stairs. Palpatine quickly pried off the step, and how he hadn’t known about this little hiding spot before this irked him beyond belief, and grabbed the satchel within. A satchel he had never seen before and had no idea how Anakin would have gotten his hands on it. Inside rested a crown and Palpatine paled in horror. The crown of the Lost Prince. Anakin’s crown. If the boy knew now… 

Palpatine dropped the offending piece and reached inside for the folded paper. He snarled at the image portrayed. Obi-Wan Kenobi. The blasted poster boy for the imbecilic Jedi. Of course they’d be looking to make amends with Tatooine. How they figured out Anakin’s true identity though, Palptaine would have to figure out and quickly if he was to salvage his plans. With a whirl of his robes, Palpatine stalked out of the tower, crown and wanted poster tucked away on his person. He had a fool of a boy to hunt down, and a Jedi to kill.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An average length chapter for an average day. I'm really excited for the next chapter though and am already writing it!
> 
> Please drop a kudos, or comment if you've already done so! Definitely motivates me to keep up the everyday posting schedule. 
> 
> *On that note though, we're about to start getting into the more plot heavy stuff with worldbuilding and twists and the like. I'm going to try very hard to keep up the everyday schedule but we'll see


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